Spring-shackle



E. I. IIIAIIDEIII.

' SPRING SIIIICIILE.

I f APPLICATION FILED IAN.22, 1920. y L362,72 Patentd D60. 21, 19205.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

E. J. MADDEN.

SPRING SHACKLE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 2z, 1920.

Patented 1 @.'21,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Q RA., g@

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

EDWARD J. MADDENI', 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

sPnI'NG-SHACKLE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

application inea January 22, 1920. seriaiNo.- staan.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. MADDEN,

a citizen of the United States, and residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Spring-Shackleof whichthexfollowing' is a specification. Y i

This invention relates to means for connecting the ends of Wehicle springs to lthe frames or chassis thereofpand its Objectis to provide a shackle "construction which can be lubricated. perfectlly'land wherein dust Ymay be excluded from'ileu working parts` This shackle consista/in the combination of side links and bolts extending throu h these side links andthroughthe ends of t e springs and ofllthefsi'dewbarstof the vehicle frame, of a pair ofluisllmingsextending` from the side links 'iintd'y the`-ends of the"-'`springsl Vand frame, yandfoifmeans@for excluding dust?.

fromcthe joints bet ee/Hf the bushingsthe frame and springs respectivelyrmvzfl l It alsoy consists `in providing a sealing rin .for connetin`g-the inner ends of thei-x. bus ings so "as tocon'stltute a receptaclefor! the lubricant It'also consists inv forming the enteren/(lsf of the bushingssubstantially hemifspherical-.j and in making the holesthrough thebush-,

ings of greater diametersthan theboltsso as to permit lthe partsvto adjust them s elyes.4

' It alsoconsistsin" the detailslof construction illustrated in the accmpanyingdrawings and particularly pointed out inthe claims. 1 l ha g1 In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an .elevation of a shackle embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-.-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a central section of a second embodiment of the invention. Fig.

4 is a central section of a third embodiment of the invention. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of `a fourth embodiment of the invention. Fig. 56 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7v is a side elevation of afifth embodiment of this invention. Fig. 8 is a sec-` tion on the line 8,-8 of Fig. 7.

Similarv reference characters refer to like I i parts throughout the several views.

Spring'shackles are designedto connect ,the ends of springs to the side bars of vehif cles, particularly automobiles, or to theends of other springs, and great trouble has been y experienced with them because dust gets onto the bearing surfaces and because of the v diiculty of keeping them lubricated. These essary however.

two difficulties have been overcome by provldlng means for preventing the entrance of dust and by forming a storage chamber for the lubricant at .the middle of the shackle.

In Figs. 1 and 2 which show a shackle especially adapted to connect springs l-and 2 which are in planes at'substantially right angles to each other, the structure really emf bodies two 'shackles'connected Aby the 'Tjr Each shacklecomprises side linksetlan'd 5,'.

the links 4 having lugs 6a to engage the y heads 6 of the bolts 7 'and prevent them from,- turning.y Extendingfinto the `springs 1 and- 2 are zthirnbles 8, preferablyyformed with bushings"9"tofurnish bearings for the bolts The 'bolts are formed with passages' 10 forr the'` lubricant which lead from'- the 4oil cups 10a to the chambers between the inner fendsof the bushings and rings 12 may be provided to'prevent the lubricant from flow- 1n away A"'too freely. The bearing of .the

bo ts and the' engaging surfaces of the ends on the side links 4 bricated. y i. `The bolts 13 which connect the side links toithefj'l 3 may be smaller than the bolts 7 asfthewear on'then is not so great as on the bolts-.7. \Passages 14 for lubricant will how- `ofthe bushings and circular shoulderslll-J and 5 will be properly-lu ever be\provided and'I also prefer to employ theuleea'ring sleeves 15. No rings 12 are nec- Togprevent dust entering between the side linksflzad and the outer ends of the bushings"`9,.I mount a ring 16 on thecircular shoulders V11 on the side links and secure other 'rings 17 between the langes 18 on the outer ends otthese bushings 9 and the `springs 1 and 2. Between the cylindrical flanges on these rings the packing rings 19 of some ibrous material will be placed to retain a certain amount of lubricant and to intercept all dust which might be thrown i just itself is" Bolts 32 extend through the links and the bushings and nuts 33 are on the outer ends of the bolts. fittings 34 prevent the escape of lubricant which may enter the spaces between the inner ends of the bushings through the passages 35 in the bolts.

' The means for excluding dust are the same as shown in llig. 2, consisting of thel two rings 3G and 37 with the fibrous material 38 between them, lt will be noticed that the holes in the bushings 27 are larger in diameter than the bolts which permits the various parts tov adjust themselves.

In Fig. 4 l have shown a single shackle adapted to constitute a close connection between the end 40 of a spring-and a channel bar 41 ot a vehicle.

receive the plugs 43 which are 'formed with hemi-spherical seats ior the spherical ends of the bushings 44. ln this case again there are thin 'heini-spherical caps 45 to reduce the friction, and a ring 4G between the ends of the bushings to constitute a retainer for the lubricant which is :forced in by the grease cup 47 through thepassage 48 in the bolt 49. Dust excluding rings 51,52 and 53 are again em loyed.

.the holes in the bushings 44 are of suficient size to permit free movement oi" the bolt 49, and the spring may therefore adelative to the channel bar.

'ln Figs. and 6 l have again shown a close connection between the end ci a spring 55 and the trent end of a side bar 56 of a vehicle iframe. The end ol the frame is rounded constitute circular 'i'langes 67 which are drilled and tapped to receive the plugs 58u through which the bolt 59 extends. The busni' 60 extend into the eye at the L) n u end oi? the spring and are providedl with bearingy sleeves 62 for the bolt.

prevenire l e A ring 63 loss the lubricant which is introduces arough the pass@ `|gc in the bolt. ndust is excluded by .cans of the rings 65, (i6 and 68 previously described.

The construction ot the several parts of theshackle shown in Figs. 'Y and 8 are much like those shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The springs and 'Tl receive the thimbles 72 which have bearing sleeves 73 for the bolts 74 which hold the side links "(5 in position. The rings 76 again form the circumferential walls ei the chambers for the lubricant which may -be forced in through the passages '77 by grease cups 78. Dust is excluded from the bearings by means of the metal rings 79 and 80 and the fibrous packing 81. In all these several embodiments, the rough-bent eyes at the ends of the springs receive accurately machined bushings which are rigidly held from turning in these eyes. Each bushing is preferably provided with a sleeve of metal which will be subject to minimum wear. Each bushing has a flange This channel has side flanges 42which are drilled and tapped tol the outer ends oi' the bushings,

be of full strength as. there is ample room for them. As the eyes at the ends of Athe springs are bent hot and are not usually perfectly closed, small .rings are mounted, betweei the inner ends of the bushings to constitute the outer walls 'oi lubricant chambers. The structures are therefore of maximum strength, they are perfectly fitted together, and because of the absence of dust,

there is a minimum of wear.

The sizes and proportions of thevarious details may all be changed by those skilled in the art without departing 'from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the follows ing claims.

I claim 1. ln a spring shackle, the combination with'the eye at the end of a` vehicle spring, ot a pair ot bushings extending into said eye, a-bolt extending through the bushings, supporting members mounted en the bolt and secured to the spring thereby, and dust excluding rings mounted on the bushings and said supporting members.

2. In a spring shackle, the combination with the eye at the end ci' a vehicle spring,-

of a pair of bushings extending into vsaid eye, a bolt extending through the bushings, supporting members mounted on the bolt mounted on the bolts and secured thereby to the ends of the two springs, said links being formed witli circularbosses to Vengage and dustexcluding rings mounted on the bushings and on said circular bosses.

4. ln a spring shackle, the combination with the eyes at the ends oft two adjacent vehicle springs, of a pair of bushings extending into each eye, a' bolt extending through each pair of bushings, side links mounted on the bolts and secured thereby to the ends of 'the two springs, links being formed with circular bosses to engage the outer ends 'of the bushings, and dustexcluding rings mounted on `the bushings and on said circular bosses in pairs, the

vand secured to the spring thereby, and dustlll) rings of each pair having telescoping flanges and fibrous'material between the rings of each pair.

5. In a spring shackle, the combination` with the eye at the end of a'vvehicle spring,

of a pair of bushings vextending into said -yeand having circumferential flanges just @outside kof the eye, supporting members hav,-

ing bosses concentric with said bushings, dust-excluding rings mounted on said bosses and comprising cylindrical llanges, other rings mounted adjacent the first and having radial portions clamped between the spring and the fianges on the'bushing's and also having cylindrical flanges'telescoping with the cylindrical flanges on the first/named rings, and a bolt extending through-the supy porting members and said bushings. 1

l 6. In a spring shackle, the vcombination with the eyes at the ends of,A two adjacent `vehicle springs, cfa pair of bushings eX- tending into each .eye and having substantially heini-spherical outer ends, a bolt eX- tending through each pair of bushings, and

side links mounted on the bolts and formed with spherical depressions to receive the.. hemi-sphericalends ofthe bushings. f

In a spring shackle, the combination with the eyes atv the ends of twoadjacent vehicle springs, of a pair of bushings eX- tending into each eye' and having substan' tially heini-spherical outer ends, a bolt eX-' tending through each pair of bushings, side links mounted on the bolts and formed with ing into each eye and' having substantially fhemif'spherical oute'r ends, a bolt extending "througheach pair of bushings, and side links mountedon' the bolts. and formed with spherical depressions to receive `the hemispherical Aends of the bushings, said bolts beingv formed with. passages for lubricant .extending fromone end to the space between the *inner ends of ythe bushings, and a ringV connecting to saidr inner ends of the bushings to vconstitute a chamber to hold lubri cant.v f 'jll-', i' Y 'i 9 In a lspringshackle, the `combination with thef'ljeyes at the ends of 'two adjacent vehicle springs, a pair of bushings extending into each eye and having substantially l hemi-spherical .outer ends, a bolt extending th'rlough each pair of bushings, .side links mounted on the bolts and formed with sphericaljdepress'ions to receive. the hemispherical ends of the bushings, and dustexcluding metal rings mounted on the bushings and on said side links and comprising telescoping portions, and' -iibrous rings vbe'- tween the metal rings. EDWARD J; MADDEN.

'vehiclefsprings, a pairof bushings eXtend- 

